My Life Matters - Fall 2021 - 5

COMMUNITY The Power of One
for me. It has truly been a fight to the finish,
but my support system has been there for me
from the very beginning, and it is amazing
how I have been supported throughout my
diagnosis.
The power of my community has proven
to be a big part of my metastatic breast cancer
diagnosis for my physical, mental, and
spiritual well-being. They have gotten me
through some good and bad times over the
years. I have celebrated milestones with them
and have shared some tears of sorrow. There
has always been a shoulder to lean on or hold
me up. I have had someone to aid or assist
me through all my medical issues, and there
have been many of those, from four breast
cancer diagnoses and tons of treatments to a
blood clot in my lungs, a hip replacement, a
craniotomy, many scans, MRIs, and medical
appointments. At the urging of my oncologist,
I had to retire early from my job as an accountant
when I was first diagnosed as metastatic
in November 2001. My coworkers supported
me during that time, and many have stayed
in contact with me with well wishes on social
media and in person. I realize on a daily basis
that I have been very blessed to have such a
great army of support that has been near and
dear to my heart.
So, this question has been asked on several
occasions: can you live 20 years with metastatic
breast cancer? Well, for me, I will hope to say
" yes " in a few months since it will be 20 years
for me, but the sad truth is not many of us live
this long with this diagnosis. I have watched so
many friends die of this illness. We need more
attention and research funding for this disease.
More and more people, especially young folks,
" I am not sure how I would have made it this far without the
many people who have rallied behind me and my family. "
are dying, and we need this to stop. There is
not a cure for metastatic breast cancer! Thrivers
like me are only afforded treatments that will
slow the cancer down to extend or improve
our quality of life.
With my breast cancer sub-type, I will be on
some type of treatment for the rest of my life.
Yes, until I have exhausted all my options. A
feeling of loneliness and isolation can easily
be a part of our journey as metastatic thrivers
because there are those times when we can feel
that others who have not experienced what we
are going through just do not understand. It
is a scary place to be! The feeling of a death
sentence constantly waving over our heads, the
never-ending scans which cause a feeling of
scanxiety, a term we use to refer to the anxiety
of our many scans and having to wait on the
results of those scans. While I go about life
in my " happy-go-lucky " spirit, I do face the
day-to-day aches, pains and side effects that
accompany my diagnosis and treatments. I
just like to think that a positive attitude will
make me feel a lot better than a negative one.
I am here for a reason! How else could I
explain being in and out of the cancer center
and hospital for 22 years? That is most of my
adult life. My daughters literally grew up in
the cancer center. Seeing them growing up has
been a miracle in itself; I could not have even
imagined this in earlier years. I can remember
those days vividly when I would take them
along with me for different appointments I had
scheduled on a particular day, and as a single
mom most of my daughters' lives, there were
many of those times. There were other times
that I just felt that it was a learning experience
for them to see some of the things that I was
faced with when I would leave them to go to
the cancer center. In my family's case, we had
never planned for this lifestyle to be our norm
or reality, but the medical team and even random
patients and visitors made this an easier
experience for me and my daughters. There
was always someone in our midst who would
come to the girls' aid with treats, kind words
and well wishes. They were never afraid of the
cancer center; I think that they were liking all
the special treatments. A little help and small
gestures can go an exceedingly long way. With
a metastatic journey like mine over the years,
I am not sure how I would have made it this
far without the many people who have rallied
behind me and my family. I have felt the love
and support that has gotten me from day to
day over the years! l
MY LIFE MATTERS
FALL 2021
5
My Life Matters - Fall 2021

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